Jefferson City foster parents aim to reach 500 children

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Betty Chesnut is aiming for 500.

That's not a batting average; that's how many foster children she would like to have opened her home to before she retires.

So far, she and her husband Wayne have kept 449 children since 1976, some for an hour and others for up to seven years. They've only had two months in all that time without at least one extra child.

"I want to do something where I feel like I've accomplished something and you can see it later in life when the kids who come back said they appreciated what we've done," Betty said.

The couple entered the foster care system, hoping to adopt a little girl after having two boys of their own. Months later, Theresa came to their home, and they eventually adopted her. And last July, they adopted Krista, now in the eighth grade.

But they have made an impact on hundreds of lives by their common-sense approach, providing for basic needs, teaching life skills and offering stability.

"They bring a smile to your face," said Keith Schepker, an investigator with state Department of Social Services' children's division. "They are committed. They truly understand the importance of child safety. These guys are the real deal."

After 20 years in social work, Schepker said he sometimes needs to seek inspiration. Whether over coffee or home-fried chicken, the Chesnut home is where he goes.

"They are very honest, work for what is in the best interest of the children, and are not afraid to tell you what that is," state children's division workers said.

In the last 10 years, the Chesnuts have shifted from taking placements younger than age 12 to teenagers.

"With God's help, we have learned there's heartache as well as joy in children — if only the children could understand that," she said.

The Chesnuts keep at it because they want to give back to these children for as little or as long as they need foster care.

"We don't do it for the money, that's for sure," said Betty, noting Missouri has one of the lowest-paid foster parent programs in the nation. "We do it for the love of the children."

Respect must be earned — on both ends, she said. The Chesnuts have found that children's reactions to their circumstances vary as much as their personalities. And they work in unison as parents.

Betty learned her mothering instincts from her own mother who reared five children on her own.

"I came from a good, one-parent home life," Betty said. "I wanted to share what I had with everybody else."

She admired her own children for being so open to sharing her and Wayne with so many children over the years, Betty said.

The couple enjoys the frequent visits and contacts they still have with several of the children who have stayed with them. The Chesnuts feel like grandparents to some of their children, and they continue to guide some through adulthood.

"That makes you feel good," Betty said. "The accomplishment is giving them hope for a family and the love they're supposed to have, knowing we helped enrich their lives."

"I want to see them achieve and live to the fullest, to have a life they deserve. I want to see that they have a happy childhood."